Help dialing in a good distortion tone?

[Ric5]

Hey y’all, I recently got a Rat Distortion pedal, absolutely love it for punk and grunge music. But, sometimes its too much. Any suggestions on how to get a good distortion tone for, er, lets say, somewhere around classic rock territory.

try parallel processing where you mix clean and dirty tones

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/effects.htm

 

[logdrum]

Or you could be opened minded and play synth bass

Since we are talking about bass guitar. Parallel amps is the way to go. Or use an Ampeg pre-amp. They seem to have dialed the distortion with clean lows . There are others but even the little Ampeg pre-amp I got does it better than most.

Also a tube amp cranked is something else but that's another discussion. It also will cause hearing damage.

 

[catcauphonic]

try parallel processing where you mix clean and dirty tones

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/effects.htm

You know what's up

I elaborated on that 5 posts in >

This was a problem for me until I learned of the joys of running a parallel signal. First one I got was a Boss LS2.

The input splits your signal into 2 lines... so you have your 'dirt' line and your 'clean' unaffected line (both with their own independent volumes) that come together at the output jack, making practically any pedal more usable for bass because your untouched bass tone is still coming thru.

View attachment 3594269

If your gonna go that route, I'd recommend jumping right over the Boss for a few $$ more and get an EHX Switchblade Pro, as it gives a dedicated clean line with 2 useable loops you can load with pedals (I keep my dirts in one, and modulations in another.) Plus with the EHX the jacks aren't all crowded together on the sides.

View attachment 3594268

 

[djaxup]

I really like the Way Huge Pork Loin for a more subtle drive/dirt. It sounds a bit muffled/boxy when played alone, but really shines in a band context.

 

[andrus108]

I've also been struggling with finding the slightly dirty bass tone that sounds right to me. Went through a few overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedals and various amps, until I got my Ampeg B25, 50 watt all valve head, and turned it up until power valves began breaking up. I found my perfect sound, but yes, unfortunately it means it's fairly loud, really usable only at rehearsals or gigs, or with a load box, and it costs more and is far more unwieldy than your even most boutique effects pedal. But if that's what it takes to find the tone that inspires you.....

 

[ChaseBassism]

Digitech bad monkey and hardwire cm2 are always my choice

 

[Max Bogosity]

I have an old Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive that works pretty well for this. The gain goes from zero to subtle to not-so-subtle overdrive and it has a ‘clean’ knob to blend in the clean signal internally so you don’t have to mess with another pedal to put it in parallel.

 

[Lowbrow]

My favored recipe - season to taste!

LS-2 blend in action: BB Preamp + VT Bass SOUNDCLIP

 

[rafitoprtx]

I found my Dirt pedal. The Fat Drive by pigtronics. I scored mine used for $60. I get from little grist tubey to fuzz. Also you can put and eq pedal after your rat and change it to your taste and add bass.